November 16, 2010

Report from Taiji: November 16 (new video)

The molesters took their boats out upon the sea this day, but the winds favored the dolphins. It turned out to be a good day in Taiji.

hiding the crime sceneAll the molesters returned to port by 10:00 am without any dolphins. Yesterday at 10:00, they had finished their murderous deeds. The molesters spent the rest of their day today setting additional tarps in place at the killing cove and on their gutting barge.

I learned from a reporter today that the molesters are under pressure from the Japan fisheries department to better conceal their activities from our cameras. It seems that the pressure on the embassies, consulates, businesses, and other governments is being felt in Tokyo. Keep it up! Every time dolphins are pushed into the cove, let them have it. Every time there is blood in the water, let them have it. Not only do the molesters want to hide from us, but so to does the government.

Many have asked about the fate of the baby dolphins at the Taiji whale museum. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you. Last week a team went to the museum to check up on the babies, but our team was refused admission to the museum. We can only speculate on what has happened to them. It is unlikely that it has ended well for the babies.

The video from yesterday’s slaughter and orphaned baby is available on that post. The cameraman had not noticed the baby in the water until we were reviewing the film afterwards. That is why the video does not stay on the baby. We were devastated when we realized what the camera had captured. I saw the boat carrying the two slave dolphins stop in transit and address one of the dolphins who was trying to get away at the time the slaughter was occurring.

In the attached video you will be able to see the molesters transfer the two captive dolphins into the Taiji harbor holding pens and then the camera pans out to show the blood surrounding the gutting barge. The blood is that of the captives’ family and possibly even from one of their own babies. Perhaps the marine animal trainers at the annual IMATA conference in Boston can explain how these deeds are good for dolphins. They may try to tell you that they have nothing to do with this, but the truth is that everyone in their business has blood on their hands.

Dolphins transferred to holding pen on November 16th

Video credit: Sea Shepherd (2:10)

We found one of the regular molester trainers from the Dolphin Base swim with dolphins program at the Taiji Dolphin Resort hotel. We have named him Surfer Boy.

surfer boy

Glenda and Rupert had to leave us today. They will be missed. Cove Guardians have come from: Australia, Brazil, Canada, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, The Netherlands, Scotland, South Africa, Switzerland, and the United States. We could definitely use your help here too.

To join us (voluntarily, and completely at your own cost and risk) in Taiji, write to me at inform-us@seashepherd.org. I will get back to you, but please be patient. I cannot keep an eye on the Cove and answer email at the same time. Contributions to Sea Shepherd to keep our official presence here are needed and welcome. I am the current official Sea Shepherd representative and will be replaced when I leave on December 9, 2010.